


The Queen's Mother

by MiyuKuran



Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-17 12:16:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13076688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiyuKuran/pseuds/MiyuKuran
Summary: "The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children." And Ikuko Tsukino would do just that.*Also on FF





	1. Chapter 1

The Queen's Mother: The Story of Ikuko Tsukino

Chapter 1: Prelude

The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children.

~Jessica Lange

Through the years Ikuko Tsukino had always prided herself on how good of a mother she was. Her children were happy, her husband was happy. They had that perfect life that you see on those family sitcoms. Sure they had good times and bad times, but this was the life she always wanted. To her it was perfect, or at least it was. Everything changed when her eldest, her daughter Serena, had gotten into her second year of middle school. The change was slow, and at first, Ikuko didn't quite realize how things were changing... At least, until it was too late.

The first change Ikuko could say she noticed was the cat. It was a fairly easy and obvious change. She had always wanted a family pet. Ikuko had entertained getting Sammy, her son, a dog for his birthday. She had entertained the idea until Serena had come home with a black cat in tow. She called her Luna and told her mother she was now hers. She didn't even ask if she could keep the cat, only rattling off about what supplies they needed for the peculiar looking cat. Yes, Peculiar. The cat had the oddest birthmark on its forehead. A golden crescent moon that shined in contrast against the dark fur. This is where the changes all began.

The next big change was that Serena started sneaking out at night. Serena was a good kid, hated the idea of any kind of trouble. Despite her bad grades, Serena was just a typical good-natured girl. It wasn't even in her personality to sneak out at night. It was odd that she would something like that. So, instead of confronting the girl Ikuko decided she would just watch. If Serena were getting into something dangerous she would intervene until then, watching and waiting would suffice. Before she confronted Serena about it she needed to know why exactly she was sneaking out. Ikuko believed she had gotten her answer a couple weeks later when Serena again showed up on her doorstep this time it wasn't a stray cat she brought home. It was a boy. Honestly, Ikuko almost had a panic attack right then and there, but she calmed herself and smiled nicely at the young man. His name was Darien. He was 3 years older than Serena, but he was an all "A" Student, top of his class at that all boys prep school. He was extremely handsome, too. After having dinner with him, with Ken glaring daggers at him the whole time Ilene had concluded that they hadn't done anything Serena wasn't ready for, but still, Ikuko talked to her daughter about the had blushed and stammered a response when Ikuko had brought it up. Revealing what Ikuko already knew to be true, and had stopped dead in her tracks when Ikuko had asked if she had been going to Darien's house when she snuck out. Serena oddly laughed it off and admitted to it. Saying that she just slept over there sometimes and that Darien was so old-fashioned he wouldn't dare try anything. The second part Ikuko knew for certain was true, but for some reason, she had gotten the feeling that Serena had lied about sneaking over to Darien's house. However, what else could it be? Ikuko wrote it off.

Looking back Ikuko realized all these changes had to do with Serena. At first they were small, her group of friends changed, and grew. The sudden appearance and disappearance of their niece, who was named Serenity. Oddly enough, Ikuko hadn't been in touch with her brother for years, so him sending his daughter to her for a year and a half was something that still puzzled her, or why he would give her name so close to Serena. Then it was the injuries. Serena would sometime have cuts and bruises that she would never account for, only for them to be completely healed by the time she got home form school. Then Serena's personality. This change had to be the most gradual. She was still her flighty self, but Ikuko noticed that she wasn't as social as she used to be. She rarely talked to her old friends at school anymore, and tended to stray from them now. She had watched Serena and her circle of friends before. They acted like they had some secret, like they were so tight nit that no one could enter the group. Ikuko noticed that she saw less and less of Molly and Melvin, and more of Mina, Lita, Amy and Raye. In fact, Serena didn't even talk about them anymore. Serena lost interest in a lot of the things that she loved, like that Sailor V character. She almost stopped her weird worship of the superhero around this time. Ikuko wrote it off as Serena just growing up. Her once immature daughter was now prone to bounds of maturity that Ikuko was sure she wouldn't obtain until she was at least in college. Her once cowardly child now ran into dangers, just to help random strangers. Yes, in Ikuko's mind at the time it had to be just Serena growing up it couldn't be anything else.

All of these incidents could be explained rather easily. Children grow up and change. Ikuko knew it was natural no matter what warning bells rang off in her head. To this day, Ikuko does not have an answer for the biggest change. The missing time. Ikuko had always made sure to know, or at least try to know where her daughter was through out the day. She made sure Serena was always comfortable telling her where she was going, but Serena would lie and say Mina's when Ilene knew it was Darien's place she was going to, and other times she would say Raye's only to disappear for hours on end. One time hours turned into a full day. The first time it happened Serena was gone for a full 24 hours. She had left that morning for school, saying she was staying at Raye's, only for Ilene to call Raye's grandfather when Serena hadn't come home that morning to find that none of the girls were actually there. She almost called the cops, but Raye's grandfather ever the calm peace maker stopped her saying that the great fire gave him a vision that promised the girls safe return very soon. Not even an hour later Serena was running through the door, covered in new bruises and cuts, screaming about how hungry she was. It was almost like nothing had changed. Out of fear, Ikuko never brought up the full day Serena went missing, she even hid from Ken and Sammy. And like most secrets she eventually forgot about it.

Things got better. After Serena's first year in high school everything changed. It seemed like a calm before the storm. For a full year nothing out of the ordinary happened to Serena that Ikuko could see. With Darien off the Harvard she saw Serena home a lot more. And their niece had apparently gone back to Ikuko's brother not that Ikuko could ever get into contact with him. Things seemed almost normal again. Serena running late to school this time with Mina who would bound rapidly onto the front door being Serena's late bell before turning and running off to school Serena struggling to keep up with the athletic girl. Lita would come over to drop by a cake or some cookies not just for her friend but for the whole family. Raye always made sure that Ikuko knew about up coming festivals that Serena would just beg for some money for. And Amy would have all of the girls sitting in the Tsukino's studying for what ever big test or exam that was coming up. Mina always happy to correct the girls' english for finals. Amy trying to help Serena and Lita understand the math. Raye trying to force what ever she could for her upcoming catholic studies exam, the only class she didn't have the other girls' help with. It was normal. That's really all Ikuko could say about the whole 2nd year of high school that Serena and her friends had.

The next year things got back to being peculiar. Serena had just started talking back to other groups of people. One day she finally went to the movies with Molly and Melvin and others outside her regular group. All that changed a couple months into the new and last school year. Mina moved. She went back to England for a reason not exactly clear to Ikuko, but when she did things became rather somber. With Darien gone, as well, Serena went back to only speaking to her main group of friends. Her once loud discussions became hushed whispers. She also barely spent time at home now. Sleeping in Darien's apartment instead. It was almost as if Serena were avoiding her family. Ikuko originally thought that it was the stress of having both Darien and Mina gone. Originally. Again Serena's friend group changed. Towards the end of the year Mina moved back with four men in tow. A young french man who was an actor, A prominent Japanese business man, An American Talent/Sports Manager, and a middle Eastern freelance detective. With Serena and the girls's graduation coming up Darien returned as well. Ikuko final thought that things would return to normal only for in fact the opposite to happen. The Graduation Ceremony was attacked by some kind of monster. In the chaos Ikuko not only lost Serena but Sammy, too. What surprised Ikuko the most was that later on that night, finally forced home by law enforcement and Ken, Serena walked through the door. Minor injuries, but looking better than many who had left the Ceremony, and next to her was her brother Sammy. Ikuko didn't bother asking where wither had been or what happened to them, but when Ken did, they both gave vague and different answers before finally agreeing on one. Sammy went looking for Serena and got caught up with the battle between the monster and the Sailor scouts, they were almost killed had not Serena's friend that race car driver, Amara Tenou not been close by. As if to prove there lie true, an car horn was heard from outside. Opening the door. Amara's expensive sports car was seen, and with a wave out of the car window from she drove off. That seemed to be enough for Ken who ordered the two to get cleaned up, and head to bed.

Serena refused saying that Darien would be coming to pick her up in 10 minutes, and that she was going with him. Ikuko and Ken argued with Serena. That it would give them some piece of mind if she were to remain in the house that night. She still refused the offer to remain in the house sighting that she was an adult now, and if she wanted to stay the night at her fiancé's she could if she wanted to. Ken bit the inside of his cheek before agreeing with her most begrudgingly. She was right. Serena was 18 now they couldn't stop her from leaving. Sammy remained oddly silently only glaring at his sister for some odd reason. Serena quickly ran upstairs grabbed a backpack filled with clothes and walked out the door to meet Darien. Ikuko ignored the dread she felt in the pit of her stomach. She ignored the feeling that she had about letting her daughter walk out the door, but what could she have done. As Ikuko watched her now adult daughter leave, Ikuko lead herself to believe that the feeling of fear she felt for her daughter was actually just her motherly side upset that her daughter was now an adult. Ikuko watched from the window as Serena climbed into Darien's car and drove off. The feeling didn't vanish, it did not leave. Serena never came back the next morning.

Ikuko told the angry Ken that they should probably give them the whole weekend. After all, Serena would probably be moving in with the boy soon seeing as he was done with his foreign studies. Ken agreed again though still ranting about how he wasn't too sure about this Darien character. Though Ikuko knew that it was all really an act. Darien was everything that Ken would want for his daughter and more, but how was he supposed to let his baby girl go? So, the Tsukino parents waited. Serena didn't come home that Sunday. There was no call either. Monday morning Ikuko had been half expecting Serena to come running through the door, but it didn't happen. By the time Ken came home there was still no sign or word from Serena. Ken was not only worried, but livid. A more accurate word could be worriedly livid. He was upset that after all this time Serena didn't feel the need to call her parents. He and Ikuko got into the family car, and drove all the way to Darien's apartment complex. When they got to the door. Ken began banging on the door, loudly demanding for Serena and Darien to open the door, but there was no answer. That worried feeling Ikuko had surged with a vengeance. Ken only began to bang louder on the door, till finally a neighbor had come out to ask what was wrong.

When Ken and Ikuko explained that they were Darien's fiancée's parents, and that they were just trying to locate the two young people the young woman finally decided that it was okay to divulge information about Serena and Darien. The Neighbor, who was named Megan, explained that she was not only Darien's neighbor but a friend of his, and that he was currently not at home. Ikuko then asked about where he might be then because Serena had been with him. With a little hesitation, Megan answered that Serena had in fact gone with Darien, and when asked how long they would be gone Megan only shrugged in response. She told the worried parents that Darien hadn't said where or how long they would be gone. He only asked that she took care of his house plants and get his mail daily. Ikuko would have panicked had not Ken choose to beat her too it. He threatened to call the the police on Darien and have him charged with kidnapping. Megan looked like she immediately regretted telling the parents about Darien and Serena. Ikuko took control of the situation. She quickly talked Ken down. Explaining that there was no way Serena went anywhere against her will. They had a hard enough time trying to get her to school, there was no way she would go somewhere she didn't want to go. Ken agreed. Serena was too strong willed to ever follow through in something she didn't believe in. After much thought and hesitation, the neighbor Megan said that she had the spare key to Darien's apartment and that she would let them look inside. Ken and Ikuko agreed immediately.

Inside was empty, but the worried parents did in fact find the reason why Serena wasn't answering her phone. On the kitchen counter laid two phones. A small simple phone with a shiny pink case covered in rabbit's and a no nonsense smartphone laid side by side as if being there on purpose. They had left the phones on purpose. Megan apologized saying that if she heard from Darien or Serena she would call them. Ken and Ikuko went home and began searching. First to the Shrine. Mr. Hino did not know where his granddaughter was and when told of Serena's missing state he said he also hadn't seen Raye since the graduation. Chad had nothing to say almost as if he were hiding something. Dr. Mizuno also had nothing to add, but confirmed that Amy was also missing as well. Same with Mina. Lita was the hardest with no parents or guardians Ken went to her place of work, a restaurant, She hadn't been heard from either. So desperate the parents tracked down those other friends of the girl's. All of them from there boyfriends to that Amara girl, her Girlfriend Michelle and their adopted daughter, Hotaru were even missing. The other, an older woman, they couldn't even track down. All of them missing, like they had vanished into thin air. They went to the police only to be shot down. Just because a couple of teenagers decide to run away together since they were all of legal age there was nothing that could be done. All 14 people gone.

Distraught the parents of the missing young people ganged together, putting up posters and asking around. None of it ever amounted to anything. Eventually the equally worried Megan, Darien's neighbor, gave them the name of one person who might still be in contact with the missing group. Andrew Furuhata, a long time friends of the whole group. It was eventually decided that Dr. Mizuno would talk to young lad seeing as they didn't want to scare him off if he did know anything. Dr. Mizuno went to the Crown Arcade and came back 20 minutes later. According to the doctor, the boy at first wasn't all that fore-coming with information denying that he knew anything at all. Eventually after Dr. Mizuno begged him he told her that he did know something, and that to respect all of there privacy he would only tell them that they had all promised to come back. When? He didn't know. He apparently only knew that they had to leave and promised to return. He didn't answer when asked if they were doing anything dangerous. He had been cryptic with answers, and none of the parents were getting answers from anywhere else. Apologizing on behalf of the whole missing Group Andrew assured them that they would be home soon.

Two weeks later was a bit longer than Ikuko had expected, but Andrew Furuhata had told the truth. Serena had walked back through the door around three, may be four, in the morning rummaging through her room packing her things. Apparently, she planned to see her parents in the morning, but the need for fresh clothes was too important to wait. Luckily, it was only Ikuko who had been awake. She had a hard time sleeping through the nights that Serena were missing, and honestly didn't even hear the girl come in, though she was awake. It was the flickering of her room light, and and the silent shut of her room door that alerted Ikuko to her presence. Further inspection, Ikuko could tell that Serena had not in fact come in from the front door, but her bed room window. Here was her daughter, trying to grab clothes and leave her home, again. Ilene sighed. It was much too late for all of this, and the weekend had started meaning that Ken was off of work in the morning. The look on Serena's face was of pure guilt, as if she was surprised not only that she and gotten caught, but because of the fact that she had been away for so long. She bit her lip in anticipation for the screaming her mother was probably going to dish out onto her, instead Ikuko surprised. While Ikuko wanted to scream, yell, and cry asking her daughter where she had been for three weeks the tired look in Serena's eyes told a greater story. So instead, Ikuko decided the story could wait till tomorrow.

Ikuko very calmly and quietly asked her daughter if Darien was waiting for her outside. Just like the mother thought, he was. She then told Serena that the both of them were to stay the night in the house, even going as far as to say that Darien could sleep in Serena's room. Just as long as they stayed in the house and she knew where they were in the morning some sliver of sanity would return to her. Serena didn't look as if she wanted to agree, but the look on her mother's face left no room for argument. Ikuko thanked the heavens that her daughter had returned to her, but she had changed. Serena was once again different. There was a weariness in her eyes that wasn't suited for one so young. With a simple command to remain quiet so not to wake the rest of the family, Ikuko, left the room headed towards her own bed. She was relieved and exhausted, though sleep never did take her. At 7 in the morning without a wink of sleep, Ikuko was awake making breakfast, Ken was awake not an hour after, and 30 minutes after that so was Sammy. The news that Serena and Darien were home had surprised Ken and Sammy. Ken would have marched upstairs to wake the both of them up, but Ikuko intervened. At the time they had both gotten into the house and sleeping it was after 5, though she herself didn't have sleep she wasn't going to neglect it from the two young people upstairs. Around Eleven O'clock Ikuko could her movement upstairs, If she still knew her daughter, Ikuko swore it was Darien letting Serena sleep a little more. Sammy must have heard the light noise, too as he excused himself to leave the house, stating that he needed to see a friend. In that moment, Ikuko remembered that Sammy had a girlfriend. There was no issue, other than the fact that she was Hotaru Tomoe, and was missing along side Serena and the others. Sammy had been adamant that he hadn't known anything. Seeing no reason to let their son stay and witness what was going to happen they allowed Sammy to go. Ten minutes later Serena's blonde head stuck around the corner looking into the kitchen, no doubt Darien behind her.

Seeing her parents in the kitchen, Serena knew that it was now or never, and walked into the kitchen to await the jury's verdict. She held tight to Darien's hand. Ikuko had to hand it to her husband, though he was steaming mad he had calmly asked, both Serena and Darien to take a seat. To Ken's credit he didn't not immediately blow up at the two young people, instead calmly asking them both to sit down. That calmness didn't last for very long because when Ken demanded an explanation, and Serena refused to give one that's when the screaming match began. Ken screamed at his daughter who only screamed back, and honestly nothing was being accomplished in the least. Ikuko had to hand it to Darien it was a full 15 minutes of screaming before he could no longer take any more of the verbal abuse that Ken dished mostly onto him, but onto Serena as well. Ikuko had stepped in when the college student's knuckles turned white and his jaw clenched. Ikuko told both Serena and Darien that what her husband was trying to get them to understand was that they were worried and just because they were legal adults didn't mean that they could just up and leave when ever they wanted. Except Darien had calmly corrected her with this, because they were adults they could just up and leave when ever they wanted. Serena was no longer under any obligation other than respect to remain in tied to her family. In all honesty the words hurt Ikuko with how intelligent and well thought out they sounded. As if he were talking down to a child, and scolding them. Ken was steaming mad. Serena added that if they had a problem with the time they had been gone or her continued relationship with Darien that she would be moving out that day, and never speak to her parents again. What other choice did the parents have? Against they're better judgement they were convinced to forgo the entire incident.

That was the last time anything strange happened to Serena, or the Tsukino family. A year later, Serena and Darien married. The only thing odd was that Serena had so many bridesmaids. Other than that life was happy again. Sammy had a long term girlfriend, Ken's job was doing amazing, and life was good. Serena almost seemed like Ikuko's daughter again. And like most horrible memories, Ikuko eventually forgot the oddness associated with Serena's life after her 2 year in middle school. She calked it all up to being puberty, and Serena going through a rebellious stage. Ikuko's mind rebelling against any idea that something...Well, supernatural had happened in her daughter's was until she woke up, and everything around her had changed.

The house, while still livable, was covered in years worth of dust and plant over growth. The yard looked as if the property belonged to no one, and in the distance. Ikuko could barely see it as Sammy pointed it out to her. A tall crystal looking structure sitting there as if it had always been. Ikuko got a strange feeling in her gut. Things were never going to be the same for her family again.


	2. Rip Van Winkle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should probably post more chapters on her....right?

**_"The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."_ **

**_~Maya Angelou(R.I.P May 28, 2014)_ **

* * *

 

Ikuko Tsukino woke up coughing. The air around her was stale and tasted of dust. Sitting up in her bed, Ikuko placed her hand upon her head. Her head hurt as if she had slept for far too long. In all honesty, she hadn't remembered falling asleep. Looking to her side she found her husband Ken fast asleep...Above the cover and sheets? Ikuko then noticed she had too, fallen asleep without covering herself. Some people feel asleep like that, but not Ikuko nor her husband Ken. Getting up and looking around she noticed that the curtains on the wall looked weary and sun-stained. As if they had been hanging there for years, when she had only bought those curtains a month ago. The sunlight spilled slightly through them revealing to Ikuko the state of her room. Everything covered in a years worth of dust. Stepping down onto the carpet, a small cloud of dust relieved itself from the floor.  _Dust? In her house?_  Ikuko knew that wasn't a possibility, she cleaned daily. She was a stay-at-home mother, who happened to find cleaning quite calming and did it quite often. There was no way this much dust would ever accumulate in her place of living. Walking around Ikuko found her bedroom covered in spiderwebs. They were everywhere like no one had been in the room in ages.

Yes, Ikuko Tsukino could honestly say something was wrong. This wasn't right. She tried to think back to before falling asleep only to get a searing headache and stopped herself. It was as if her mind wasn't ready for whatever her memories would reveal. Honestly scared, Ikuko woke her husband Ken. He got up rubbing the sleep out of his before murmuring, "Oh god my head." and sitting up.

"Ikuko, what's wrong?" He asked her immediately shaking the grogginess of sleep. Something in his wife's facial expression seemed to say that something was amiss.

"Everything's changed." She answered looking around. "I don't remember falling asleep... Do you?" Ken tried as Ikuko had earlier to remember the night before only to come up with the same consequences.

"No. I-" Before he could say anything else, his wife was out the door. She went to check on her son who she hoped was sleeping in his room just as she had been not even 10 minutes ago. Ikuko opened Sammy's room door to find the room in a state similar to her own, but empty. She almost panicked until she heard a cry of "Mom!" coming from downstairs. Quickly running down the stairs she found Sammy by the front door as if he had just walked back inside.

"Samuel, What's going on? I just woke up and everything is old, and covered in dust you were gone, and-"

"Mom, Calm down. I just woke up, too. Just a little bit before you did. Are you okay? Where's dad?" He asked. Ikuko was impressed her 17-year-old son displaying a sense of maturity she hadn't thought he could yet.

"I'm here." Ken walked down the stairs. "What's happened to the house?" Around them looked as if they were stuck in some home that hadn't been lived in for years. Something you would see in horror movies. It was odd how incredibly creepy their home of 20 plus years seemed without any maintenance.

You guys need to come see this." Grabbing his mother by the wrist Sammy lead her out the front door. The grass had grown long, and their house was covered in vines as if it had been a long time since anyone had lived in it. Sammy pointed far off into the distance toward the city. In the distance, all the tall structures that were there originally could be seen, but there was an extra one. A tall pillar stood that looked to be made of some kind of crystal or glass. The sunlight shined of it creating a prism of light, a rainbow beamed from the glorious structure.

That's when Ikuko Tsukino remembered it all.

* * *

_"Serena is something wrong?" Ikuko asked her 20-year-old daughter. Serena seemed off today. She had that look in her eye that made Ikuko worry. Like she wasn't saying something she should. "Serena?" She called again. The girl seemed to be in her own little world._

_"Oh!" Serena snapped out of whatever daydream she had been lost in and turned her attention to her mother. "Sorry, mom. Did you need something?" She asked._

_"Yes, I asked if there were anything wrong, Sweetie. You seem..." Ikuko searched for the right word. "A little melancholy today." Serena gave her mother a smile._

_"I wouldn't call it that, mom. I'm just stressed out from work is all. I mean, I do deal with kids all day. Who would have thought me, a kindergarten teacher?" She joked._

_"The same people who said that you would pass through High school, meatball." And with that insult, Ikuko knew Sammy was officially home._

_"Whatever, you little spitball." Serena threw back. The now 17-year-old Sammy opened his mouth to retort with something that would no doubt start a fight, but Ikuko intervened._

_"Now, stop it. You two are much too old to still be fighting like this." Ikuko reprimanded. "How was Hotaru, Sammy?" It seemed Ikuko's question wasn't something that Sammy felt like discussing. His face fell into a scowl._

_"She's fine, mom. Just had to say goodbye." Goodbye? Ikuko thought to herself. She would have asked exactly what Sammy meant, but the look on his face spoke enough. Ikuko dropped the subject._

_Ken had come home not an hour later, and dinner was eaten in an awkward state. To Ikuko, it seemed that her children were upset with each other. Occasionally in between Ken talking about his workday and Ikuko eating the dinner she made, she would look up and catch Sammy glaring rather harshly at his sister, who seemed to ignore him best she could. If Ken noticed the tense atmosphere, he didn't speak up about it leaving Ikuko to just watch and wonder if things would work out on their own._

_It wasn't until Serena had practically begged to do the dishes did Ikuko become rather worried about her daughter's mental state. First, it was the daydreaming, and now Serena wanted to do the dishes. Serena hated kitchen work of any kind. Red flags flew in Ikuko's head._

_"Is there something wrong, Serena?" Ikuko asked again. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that you wanted to say something to me." Serena bit her lips at her mother's words._

_"No. I'm fine. Nothing's wrong." Serena spoke as she finished the last dish. Ikuko gave her daughter a look, indicating that answer wasn't going to work anymore. Serena sighed. "I might have caused some issues between Sammy and Hotaru. He's pretty mad at me right now." Serena revealed truthfully."And I can't make it better."_

_Ikuko placed a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'm sure whatever happened Samuel will get over it. From what I could tell the relationship is still intact so whatever damage you caused can't possibly be that bad. Go, and talk to him. Tell him your sorry. He can't stay mad at you forever."_

_Serena nodded before smiling at her mom and giving her hug, "Thanks, mom. For everything, really." Serena then ran up the stairs most likely going to talk to her brother. Ikuko smiled after her._

_Ikuko kept an ear out, listening to make sure her children didn't begin fighting, everything sounded fine before Serena came speeding out of Sammy's room heading to the door._

_"Serena?" Ken called out "Leaving so soon?" He said, hoping she would stay a few more hours._

_Serena shook her head. "Sorry, Dad, Darien and I are going out tonight with the rest of the gang. I've got to get going." Serena spared a glance up towards Sammy's room. He didn't come back downstairs. "I'll see you later." She promised. "Goodbye." She hugged her father, before saying goodbye to Ikuko and heading out the door. It slammed behind her making the room ring with something that Ikuko couldn't place. The air didn't feel right as Serena left. It was a feeling that Ikuko had had before. It's the one Ikuko had gotten when Serena had walked out the door to graduate high school and the same one from when Serena had gotten married. It was odd considering that she'd see her daughter tomorrow._

_Sammy walked downstairs, face turned up in a scowl. "Serena's gone?" he asked._

_Ikuko studied her soon intently. "Yes," She nodded. "I'm guessing you two didn't patch things up."_

_Sammy scoffed, "Somethings we did, other things we didn't. It doesn't matter." He left it at that. Leaving a confused Ken and Ikuko to only stare at his retreating form heading to the kitchen most likely to get a snack.  
_

_"What's going on between those two?" Ken asked._

_Ikuko sighed, "You're oblivious. They weren't on good terms during dinner, or did you not notice?" Ken only stared at his wife confused. "I thought I knew what was going on, but I don't even know half of it." She said mostly to herself._

_"They'll work things through," Ken said confidently. "They always do." Ikuko nodded. Yes, she knew they would work things out._

_Ikuko looked at the clock. It was 9:15. She supposed she could watch television with Ken for an hour before heading to bed, but Ikuko never got the chance. A weight heavy on her lungs suddenly made her fall to her knees. She thought she was the only one feeling it until Ken also started clutching his throat trying to grasp for the oxygen that wasn't reaching his lungs. A crash could be heard in the kitchen._

_"Sammy!" Ikuko tried to stand, but Ken beat her to it._

_"I'll check on him. Serena's still in the streets! She couldn't have gotten far." He told her struggling to get up. Ikuko used all of her strength to make it to the door. She heard another crash. She didn't bother to look, Ken never made it to the Kitchen. She couldn't stand any longer as she reached for the door and crawled out of the house. She knew there was no way she couldn't make it down the stairs. Tears were streaming down her face. She needs to make sure that Serena was safe, but she could no longer listen. She could listen to the chaos she heard. The screams and cries of confusion and fear. She couldn't see it, but Ikuko could hear it even from where she lay. Ikuko's eyelids grew heavy. Once they shut Ikuko was sure that they wouldn't open again. She peered out into the street one final time, hoping-praying that maybe whatever going on that she'd see Serena one final time. That Serena would be struggling to make it back home, like her mother was struggling to get to her, however praying doesn't guarantee results._

_Right before her eyes shut, Ikuko swears she saw it. No not it, them. A woman hair so long it cascaded to the ground, and next to her a man in a light lavender suit. A crown sparkled under the moonlight on top the woman's head. A queen? Ikuko's time ran out, ending her thoughts as The Great Sleep took her._

* * *

Yes, Ikuko remembered now. Something must have happened to everyone that night. Her neighbors too, walked out into their yards, lost for words, and everyone stared at the same place. The new crystal structure that stood tall and proud. There was an odd, calming silence to the world. No one spoke, but Sammy ran.

"What?! Samuel, Come back!" Ikuko screamed after her son.

"Sorry, Mom!" He yelled back. "Something's going on and that crystal structure has something to do with it! Stay here, I'll be back soon." He promised, but Ikuko wasn't having it. Ikuko didn't know what had happened. A mass unconsciousness had just struck and she wasn't going to let her son out of her sight. She ran after him not caring that she didn't have shoes on her feet. Sammy was younger and much more athletic than his mother, but she pushed herself, and oddly found that she could almost keep up with him. Ikuko had been athletic in school, but it had been years, there was no way she was this fast. Sammy wasn't holding back either, he ran at full speed towards the crystal tower, never stopping.

The streets and other building were in a state similar to her own home, the concrete was cracking as weeds were pulling through, it looked as if they had succeeded as you could see more plant life than asphalt in the city. Oddly, enough there were other walking towards the direction of the crystal tower as if something was pulling mankind towards it. Finally, they had reached the crystal tower to find that it wasn't just a tower at all, but a complete building. A palace. It was huge, bigger than even the malls in the area. It looked brand new. The road in front of the palace was paved not a hint of aging in it at all. A crystal fountain stood in what looked to be the courtyard entrance pouring clean water as if someone had been maintaining it while everyone was asleep, and in the sunlight, the Crystal palace shined brightly, beautifully, all most natural looking. The only odd thing that about the structure then it's sudden appearance was the fact that the courtyard entrance had no door to speak of. It was built as if a door should have been placed there only for it not to exist.

"This is..." Sammy trailed off. Ikuko couldn't blame him. The sight was almost overwhelming.

"Ikuko!" A voice called out. Ikuko turned to fine her husband, Ken walking towards them. "You both left in such a hurry you forgot these." In Ken's hands were shoes for his wife and son.

"Thank you." Ikuko grabbed the shoes and put them on as Sammy took a hold of his.

As it seems, Sammy was not the only one who had the idea to come check out the mysterious crystal palace, as the area in front of the palace began to fill a multitude of people. Soon there were too many to count. Everyone confused, whispering to each other and wondering. Not one had an idea what was happening. Some claimed the rapture happened, and others saying that it was a sign of the end times, but Ikuko didn't listen. Something else was at foot here. Something harder to explain.

As if someone had heard all the questions, A door suddenly shimmered into view. The door was huge with an elaborate pattern carved onto it, and as it opened the crowd suddenly grew quiet. No one knew what was in the giant palace before them, it could be anything. Some whispered of a monster that had taken over the city. Others said a savior that had come to rapture them, but instead of all of that out stepped from the door was a young girl, clad in a purple sailor fuku. Her dark hair was in a short bob and in her hand was some sort of weapon taller than her, but it's blade shun bright in the sunlight. In Ikuko's mind, she almost thought she knew the girl, but as soon as the thought came it quickly vanished from her mind. She did not know her.

"It's Sailor Saturn." Sammy whispered so quietly that Ikuko barely heard him. Ikuko turned and gave him a questioning look. "She's not one of the main five." He answered his mother's unspoken question. "It's usually bad news if the public ever sees her. It means that the final battle between the Scouts and whatever evil is about to happen. Though I don't know why she's here, no attacks have been in the papers lately." Ikuko nodded and looked towards the Sailor Scout as she began to speak.

"I understand that all of you are very confused." She started. Now that Ikuko heard her speak she realized the girl was very young. Most likely younger than her own son. "But by their names, King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity have kindly asked that you leave the premises immediately. All questions and concerns will be dealt with at a later date." She announced her voice far louder than her size or age should have allowed.

There was an immediate silence following the Scouts words it was as if everyone was in a state of shock. No one knew what to say to contest the girl in front of them, and those who know of her powers as a scout were too fearful to even think of anything to say against her, but one man finally did. To Ikuko, he looked to be a few years younger than herself. A man about in his mid to late forties gained the courage to speak to the Sailor Scout who guarded the palace in front of them.

"You expect all of us to just go home after everything that we have witnessed?" He asked outraged in a loud voice to Sailor Saturn. "We all woke up, at the same time, to find the world different than how we left it. And you want us to go just go home?" Ikuko didn't like the tone the man had. He was frantic, arms waving about as he spoke. With each word the crowd waited on baited breathe rising in tension with each word he spoke. Ikuko grabbed a hold of Sammy.

_This is going to turn into a riot_ , she thought to herself. In her youth, she had seen and even participated in a few. She knew the beginnings of one. The look of the crowd before the first stone was cast. The atmosphere that held everyone in a trance waiting for someone to make the first move.

"You are only a child, and you expect us to listen to this nonsense. You know what's going on, and you will tell us!" The man's closing's words created just the rise in the crowd that Ikuko had seen coming. Shouts of agreement rang through at the crowd, and soon they turned their attention to the young girl at the entrance of the Palace. Shouts and cries demanding knowledge rang to her with a roar, but the Sailor scout didn't even blink. In fact, Sailor Saturn looked particularly bored with the whole situation, as if it were under her station to deal with such trivial things.

"This is your last chance." Sailor Saturn warned. "Return to your homes, or I will use force." This only seemed to make the large crowd angrier. The shouts grew louder than before if possible, and now some marched towards the entrance of the crystal palace. As if the anger had made the fear and astonishment for the palace vanish.

"We should go." Ken said. Ikuko nodded next to him, but Sammy shook his head.

"I'm not leaving." He told them defiance in his eyes, "Go if you're scared, but someone has to watch out for Sailor Saturn. I don't want this crowd to force her into anything."

"Sammy, we should go." Ikuko begged. "She's a Sailor scout. I'm sure she can handle herself. You don't need to worry about her." Ikuko said, but honestly, she worried for the girl. She was so young. Much younger than the other scouts, call it motherly instincts, but Ikuko was frightened for the girl. She wanted to stay really, but she had Sammy to worry about.

"I told you, If you're scared, go, but I'm staying." Sammy said her turned back to watching Sailor Saturn intently. Ken sighed beside Ikuko, he knew that there was no chance of them leaving without their son, but Sammy was adamant. And the reporter in Ken wanted to sit this one through, as well. He looked toward his wife, who nodded her head. It was official they were staying.

As the crowd got closer to the entrance of the Palace, Ikuko could see the growth in impatience with the scout. Harsh words, slurs, and swears were being thrown at her. How she had lasted this long with this many people astounded Ikuko, but she could tell her patience was wearing thin. That's when Ikuko saw it in the corner of her eye, one of the men grabbing a particularly large stone from the ground. It was large enough, that if thrown well and to the head, could easily kill a person. She could see the look in his eyes as he aimed it at the young Sailor Saturn. The crowd roars suddenly went silent to Ikuko, and from their everything began to move in slow motion. Like the slowed frames of a film, Ikuko saw the scene playing out before her. Ikuko paled at the thought of that large stone being cast at the girl. She paled even more at what the powerful young girl would do in retaliation to the rioting crowd. As the man leaned back prepping for his throw, Ikuko ran towards praying that she was fast enough to stop this madness before it truly began. She knew she wouldn't make it. Finally, things in her mind's eye starting moving slightly faster and faster, and the noise of the crowd was starting to return to her, louder and louder. With a cry she continued towards the man, her's the loudest out of any one in the crowd as the man motioned to throw, and that's when everything stopped.

The crowd's motion stopped. The noise stopped, it was as if everything had froze in time, but that wasn't the case. Everyone had stopped of their own accorded as if sensing that something was happening in the middle of the crowd all eyes turned there to find the man now being held back by another man in what looked to be a militaristic uniform. He had short blonde hair, and his blue eyes showed a distinct annoyance at the current situation at hand. He seemed to have finally noticed that all of the crowds attention was on him, and finally spoke.

"Threatening those who work directly for the King and Queen would not be wise." The general twisted the man's captive arm forcing him to release the large stone.

"What are you doing here, General?" Sailor Saturn asked. "I don't believe I asked for your assistance."

The general smirked at the sailor soldier, "How cold you are, Dear Saturn. I only came out at the insistence of our comrades. Besides, _they're_  watching, as well." He inclined his head towards the crystal Palace, but up towards the tower that glistened in the sunlight. Saturn looked toward it as well, but whatever those two could see remained hidden to the common people on the ground. "Perhaps sending our least threatening looking person was not such a good plan, after all." He said with a teasing smirk.

Sailor Saturn seemed to take this comment with some offense because her face turned red at the general's words in anger before turning around, "Fine, you take care of this then. I'm going back inside." Sailor Saturn walked through the large doors, and as they shut they disappeared from view.

The general shrugged before turning his attention back to the man in his grasp, "I suggest you think before you cast stones. This isn't biblical times, You barbarian." He pushed the man away from him and then began addressing everyone in the crowd. "You will find I am not as nice as Sailor Saturn. While her threats were idle, mine are not. You have five minutes to vacate the premises. If not.." He let his threat hang there as he turned his head toward the part of the crowd where Ikuko and her family stood. Suddenly a giant force ripped through the crowd almost knocking down the Tsukino family and all those around them and heading back towards the group of trees behind them. One tree literally exploded in front of them and two others fell shaking the ground with a large sonic boom that made Ikuko's ears ring.

"I have the worst temper of anyone in that palace. So, I pray you heed my warning." These were the general's last words before he faded out of view with a shimmer. The crowd quickly dissipated after that, practically running away from the palace. Ikuko and Ken turned to go only to find Sammy holding his hand to head as if in pain.

"Sammy?" Ikuko called worried. "Are you alright?" He didn't answer he only stared up at the Crystal Tower. "Samuel!"

"You don't see them?" He asked suddenly.

"See who, Samuel? You're scaring me." Ikuko told her son.

"The king and queen, You don't see them." He pointed up towards the tower, but Ikuko nor Ken could see anything.

"Sammy, the crystal to dense to see through." Ken told his son. "You can't see through it."

"But-"

"We need to go, before we anger who ever lives in that palace." Ken said leaving little room for argument. Sammy snapped his mouth shut taking one final look at the crystal palace before following his parents away from it.

The walk home had been almost in complete silence, till it hit Ikuko.

_Serena._

"Oh god." She stopped dead in her tracks. "Sammy, Ken. Did either of you see Serena or Darien in the crowd just now?" She asked.

Sammy shock his head. His father replied, "no".

"Practically the whole town was there. If she woke up like the rest of us she would have been there!" Ikuko said. Sammy bit his lip.

"We could try her apartment. We could have easily missed them with how big the crowd is if we head there now, we should see them there." Ikuko nodded and followed her husband down the street, past their home to the place her daughter had been living for years now. The same apartment complex that Darien had always lived in was now shared between him and his wife, The Tsukino's got to the apartment, they found the door oddly unlocked. Opening they found nothing amiss expect for that fact that neither Serena or Darien were there. Ikuko got that same feeling in her stomach from when Serena had disappeared when she was 18.

Ikuko got the feeling that Serena was gone again.

Ken tried to say that maybe they had beaten Darien and Serena home from the palace, but in her gut, Ikuko knew they hadn't. Serena and Darien were never coming back to this apartment. Still, Ken, Ikuko, and Sammy waited for hours hoping that they would return home soon. After four hours, Ken said that maybe they were checking on their friends and would contact them at home later. Sammy nodded agreeing with his father's statement promising his mother that Serena was to tenacious to let something happen to her, and Darien was far too smart to let anything happen to either of them. Sammy said that Serena would probably call them soon. She always felt the need to check on everyone else first, he reasoned. Though that ill feeling never left Ikuko.

Serena Tsukino was gone for good this time. Ikuko could feel it, but she refused to accept it.

So she waited up all night, in denial of her own feelings, hoping that just like the time when she was 18 she would return home far too late at night, that it was practically morning. Ken, too waited up with his wife hoping that his daughter and even her husband would coming bursting through the door any moment. However, it wouldn't come to be.

Sammy, however, took advantage of his parents distracted and quickly snuck out of the house with incredible ease. He walked the moonlit night slowly as he made his way back to the crystal palace. He wasn't surprised when he walked up towards the entrance and the grand door shimmered into view for him, and the doors opened. He quickly stepped inside letting the overly large doors shut behind him as he was greeted by the same General who had nearly thrown him down telekinetically earlier. Before all of this started Sammy knew the man as Takashi Sato, the son of a business man, who happened to be close friends with a local politician's daughter by the name of Raye Hino. But he no longer can go by that name. None of the people Sammy was about to meet could ever go back to their old identities and lives. Now, that man goes by Jadeite, a general under King Endymion.

"Welcome Back, Sammy." Jadeite greeted.

"It's good to be back." Sammy responded. He walked down the hall toward the throne room, Jadeite guiding him. In the throne room stood 12 people he knew hadn't seen him in a very long time, but to himself, he had seen them only yesterday. One in particular he was happy to see, but a reunion would take place later on, right now Sammy had to address the silvered haired queen that sat on the throne looking at him with curious eyes.

"It's been far too long, Samuel." She spoke. Sammy noticed how formal her tone had gotten. She didn't even sound like the person he knew.

"Hello...Serena." At the use of her old name the Queen smiled.

A new age had begun.

**Author's Note:**

> Final word count: 4,338
> 
> Don't forget to follow/favorite/Review
> 
> Feedback gets me going on chapters and I'm more likely to continue this if I have some. Not really a threat but this is a pet project that I will work on when I'm in the mood to. A good mood fixer is reviewing. I read them to get rid of laziness, and writer's block. I loved this idea which is why I'm posting it because my fanfic ideas rarely end up on here.
> 
> Update: Is originally on FF, but wanted to add it here.
> 
>  
> 
> Love,
> 
> ~Miyu K.


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